- What has been the scene or environment in SA athletics in relation to long and triple Jump? The long jump and triple jump have always been highly contested events in South Africa. While our athletes might not have dominated on the international stage, they have consistently brought intense and exciting local competitions. However, the arrival of Khotso Mokoena in 2004 marked a significant turning point. In 2008, Khotso became the only South African to win an Olympic medal that year. His success demonstrated South Africa’s potential in horizontal jumps, forever changing the landscape of the sport in the country. Khotso’s performance, including his World Championships silver medal in 2009 and African record of 8.50m, inspired many athletes to take the event more seriously. Among those inspired was Luvo Manyonga, who, at 19, broke Khotso’s African Junior Record in the long jump. When Luvo joined me in 2015, he continued to build on Khotso’s legacy by winning a silver medal at the 2016 Olympics and gold at the 2017 World Championships. This opened the floodgates, and suddenly, everyone wanted to be the next Khotso or Luvo. Over the years, more talented jumpers emerged. Whereas it was once rare to see an 8mjump, South Africa has now produced more than fourteen 8m jumpers in the 15 years since Khotso’s Olympic success. We have reached a point where multiple athletes jump over 8mmultiple times every year, rewriting the all-time top lists with their performances. As the talent pool grew, so did the number of dedicated coaches. Those who couldn’t keep up with the rising talent fell behind, while others improved themselves to provide the coaching these athletes deserved. Inspired by Khotso’s achievements, I dedicated myself to be coming a world-class coach. I regularly assisted my father, who was my coach in high school and my first year of university, soaking in every bit of information and knowledge he shared. I attended coaching courses and lectures, learned from older and more experienced coaches, and studied online. My goal was to be part of a team that dominates the world, and Khotso’s success motivated me to work hard toward that dream. Today, we see youth and junior athletes jumping over 8m, performances that seemed impossible just two decades ago. Zinzi Xulu broke the South African record in the women’s triple jump, becoming the first South African to jump over 14m. Temeke Coetzee, as a matric student, jumped over 6.40m and qualified for the African Senior Championships. Sinethemba jumped 8.08m at 18 and, in 2024, became the youngest person in history to win the long jump at the African Games. However, challenges remain. Talented athletes are often overlooked because they lack there sources and opportunities of more privileged athletes. Many train in public parks without access to proper facilities, coach themselves through YouTube videos, compete bare foot due to a lack of spikes, and never get the chance to work with high-class coaches. This lack of access to professional coaching, facilities, and equipment means many talented athletes fall through the cracks after school. South Africa has an incredible amount of talent in the jumps, but we need better talent identification procedures to ensure that future Olympians have the support they need to reach their full potential. This is where the OPEX program can play a massive role, giving these potential Olympians the opportunity and experience to reach their potential. I’ve always said, all our athletes need is the opportunity to prove themselves to the world. The OPEX program can give them that opportunity.
- There was a time when SA had a handful of world-class jumpers, what happened? Although some years might see a temporary dip in performances, South Africa’s jumper consistently bounce back with world-class results. Since Luvo Manyonga’s victory at the World Championships in 2017, South Africa has produced seven more 8m jumpers, including a surge in exceptional para-athlete jumpers. At the 2021 Paralympics, Ntando Mhlangu jumped 7.17m to win gold and set a new world record. In 2024, Puseletso Mabote broke the African para record in the long jump while still in Matric, and I believe he has a strong chance of winning a medal at the 2024 Paralympics. In 2022 Jovan van Vuuren brought home a bronze from the Commonwealth Games. In2024, Asande Mthembu became the youngest person in history to win gold in the long jump at the African Games at just 19 years old. The presence of South African long jumpers in European competitions this year further highlights this resurgence of talent. More than eight long jumpers toured Europe to compete, a number I’ve never seen before. As a coach, I am committed to developing more world class 8m jumpers while further improving the performances of our current elite jumpers. Despite some performances not meeting our high expectations at recent major championships, our athletes remain world-class. However, the quality of coaching needs to improve. We have talented coaches, but many struggle to sustain themselves solely through coaching, leading to divided attention due to day jobs. While it has been a personal struggle at times, working full-time as a coach has allowed me to consistently develop world-class jumpers. To enhance our performance further, we need better training facilities, more high performance centres, more support for coaches, and increased opportunities for coaches to gain high-level and international experience. Addressing these issues will lead to are surgence in consistent, high-level performances from a broader field of coaches and athletes.
- ince the announcement of the Bidvest Operation Excellence sponsorship, has there been any improvement in the support you and the athletes are exposed to? The Bidvest OPEX sponsorship has significantly improved the support we receive. In my personal experience, it has given Jovan and me the opportunity to adequately prepare and gain international experience for the Olympics. Beyond providing assistance with supplements, food, and medical needs, the sponsorship brings an incredible sense of national pride and belief. Now, athletes have the chance to compete internationally, gain valuable experience, and attract the attention of sponsors, which is crucial for a professional athlete’s income. While South Africa hosts bronze-labelled events and high-quality national championships, competing locally does not provide enough experience and exposure for athletes to perform at their best in major international meetings. Often, an athlete who qualifies for the first time can become overwhelmed by the atmosphere of a track with 50,000 cheering spectators. They see major athletes on TV and idolise them as action stars. When they finally compete alongside these athletes, they can become starstruck or lose confidence. The OPEX program changes this by allowing athletes to gain the necessary experience to prove their worth to both their country and sponsors on a major stage. Regular international competition helps demystify these “larger-than-life” athletes. My own experience in 2016 with Luvo Manyonga at his first Diamond League event exemplifies this. We initially felt intimidated by the world-class jumpers we had watched on TV for years. However, when Luvo started warming up next to them, we realised they were just humans with their own mistakes, anxieties, and stress. Competing in front of a 50,000-strong crowd was intimidating but being there helped us adjust and mentally prepare for the Olympics. The OPEX program also has the potential to provide up-and-coming athletes the chance to compete internationally and learn the process of becoming Olympians. In the past, touring Europe was a costly affair, often requiring athletes to travel without their support teams due to limited funds. Competing against world-class athletes with their entire support team present, while our own athletes are without their personal coaches, puts them at a disadvantage. This is particularly challenging in field events where real-time adjustments are crucial. With adequate funding from the OPEX program, athletes can now bring a part of their support team along. This ensures they train under the guidance of someone who knows them best, eliminating a significant disadvantage. The OPEX funds enable athletes to be adequately prepared for the big day, ensuring they have the support they need to succeed on the international stage.
- What are yours and Jovan van Vuuren’s expectations in Paris? Our expectations for Paris are to be in a position to give our best performance. We focus on the process rather than the end result, keeping our minds in the moment. The OPEX program alleviates some of the stress, allowing us to concentrate fully on preparing for the Olympics without worrying about distances, prize money, or seeking sponsors during an Olympic year. This support enables us to direct our attention towards the Olympics and the necessary preparations. By not having to worry about financials, missed opportunities, or being separated from their coaches for extended periods, athletes can focus on what matters most: their performance. Jovan can now devote his attention to improving himself physically and mentally, gaining the experience needed to avoid being overwhelmed when stepping into the Olympic stadium. With this assistance, we can do the work necessary to ensure Jovan is in the best possible position to perform at his peak in the Olympic Games. I’ve always maintained that South Africans, when in the right state of mind and body, are extremely formidable opponents.
- Do we have a healthy pipeline of jumpers for the future? If not, what are the hurdles? We definitely have a healthy pipeline of jumpers for the future, with an unprecedented amount of talent emerging in recent years. In the past, it wasn’t uncommon to see a national junior champion with a low 7m distance. Last year, however, a 7.80m jump, which ranks among the top 10 all-time best distances for South African junior athletes, wasn’t even good enough to win a medal at the SA Juniors. This situation is unprecedented. Over the past three years alone, the SA Junior Top 10 All-Time list has been rewritten with the impressive performances from these young athletes. Even as juniors, they are inspiring their peers to either take up the sport or train harder to emulate their young idols. With adequate talent identification, I am confident we will see an even greater resurgence of world-class jumpers who will eventually compete at the 2028 and 2032 Olympics.
- How do you see the Bidvest OPEX programme helping develop long and triple jump leading to the 2028 games and beyond? It’s all about opportunity. The Bidvest OPEX Program can provide talented youngsters with the chance to eventually become Olympians. We often lose very talented athletes’ afterschool because they don’t have access to quality coaches, gear, or training environments. Additionally, we lose athletes during their first few years of university because they lack the funds to continue pursuing their athletic dreams. Many shift their focus to their studies to secure a job that can sustain their life, while aspiring professional athletes face hardships due to the high demands of becoming the best. Athletes constantly spend their or their parents’ money on basic necessities like spikes, physiotherapy, adequate nutrition and supplements, medical expenses, gym costs, and travel funds to compete in Europe for experience and preparation for major meetings. In South Africa, it is usually just the privileged few who get these opportunities. The OPEX program alleviates these financial burdens, allowing athletes to focus on becoming professional athletes and Olympians, regardless of their background, history, financial standing, or privilege. For me, OPEX means OPportunity for EXcellence.
- What do you look for in youngsters which excites you about their talent? While passion and talent are major factors, dedication and the potential to grow are what usually excite me. I’ve met many athletes with passion and talent but lacking the potential to grow into world-class senior athletes. I’ve also seen athletes with a lot of potential but who lack dedication and passion. Talent and potential don’t matter if the athlete doesn’t have the dedication to grind for years to become the best. World-class athletes play the long-term game. This is why I always focus on what an athlete can become, not necessarily on their current results. When an athlete has talent, the potential to grow, a passion for becoming the best, and the dedication to put in the work full-time, you have a recipe for major success. I’ve had many talented athletes with impressive distances who couldn’t fulfil all four criteria. Some left the group for an easier path, gave up too soon because they didn’t become world-class overnight, quit due to fear of inadequacy, or shifted their priorities from “training to be the best” to “training to attend the best party” because of the prestige associated with being an elite athlete.It’s not always the most talented athletes who become Olympians, but those willing to put in the necessary work. We’ve had many Olympians, even medalists, who weren’t winning medals at national junior championships but had the drive and work ethic to surpass more talented athletes and become world-class Olympians. I always remember the old saying: “Hard work will always beat talent when talent doesn’t work hard.”